


What it Means to be Partners 3

by treya_barton



Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M, Souyo Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: This is my contribution to Souyo Week 2020!Day 1: Father's Day/CloudyDay 2: Yosuke's Birthday/SunnyDay 3: Feel/WindyDay 4: Sound/RainyDay 5: Taste/SnowyDay 6: Scent/StormyDay 7: Sight/Foggy
Relationships: Hanamura Yosuke/Narukami Yu, Hanamura Yosuke/Persona 4 Protagonist, Hanamura Yosuke/Seta Souji
Comments: 88
Kudos: 79
Collections: Souyoweek 2020





	1. June 17, 2012: Cloudy

“Big bro, is that everything?” Nanako asked curiously. She had been helping him pack their picnic basket with the food she had been assisting Yu with preparing all morning. They had planned a family outing to the Samegawa River plains for Father’s Day in order to give Dojima some fresh air and a break from work.

“Looks like it. Thank you for your help, Nanako,” Yu said, giving his cousin a warm smile. He saved that smile for precisely two people. Nanako beamed at him.

“Dad, are you ready to go?” she asked, and Dojima folded his paper before standing up with a groan.

“Been ready all morning,” he said, giving his daughter a fond pat on the head as she tugged at his other hand in order to lead him outside. Dojima’s eyes softened and he allowed her to drag him outside without complaint. Yu chuckled at how soft his uncle had become, even more so since he had left for Tokyo, and followed them out the door, picnic basket in hand as he locked up behind them. Dojima started up the car while Nanako climbed up into the back, proudly buckling her seatbelt. Yu made sure it was securely fastened before setting the picnic basket next to her and climbing in the front. 

While they made their way to the river, Dojima asked Yu about how school was going in Tokyo and how his college admissions studies were going. Yu filled him in while Nanako happily listened, glad that her cousin and father got along so well when there used to be so much tension between them when Yu used to live there. Nanako finally had the happy home life she had always wanted, and knew a lot of it was thanks to her kind cousin’s influence. She couldn’t help but adore him even more than she already had.

Once they arrived and parked the car, they found an empty spot under a tree in order to lay out their blanket. There were other families out and about enjoying the pleasant weather with the cloudy sky providing some shelter from the hot summer sun. Yu began to set out the picnic basket full of common picnic foods such as sandwiches, onigiri, and karaage, while Dojima poured everyone their drinks and Nanako set out plates and chopsticks for them to use. They enjoyed a relaxing meal together, the shade of the tree and breeze coming from the river keeping them at a pleasant temperature, while they people watched. Once their meal was wrapped up, Nanako headed over the playground where a few of her friends from school were playing, while Yu and Dojima returned to the car in order to pull out the fishing rods and tackle box that they had packed earlier that morning.

“You really think you can do this?” Yu asked in amusement as he led his uncle down to the bank, waving at the old man who used to provide him tackle and give him fishing tips back in the day. 

“How hard can it be?” Dojima grunted, before struggling to do the simplest part which was tying on the hook.

Yu chuckled inwardly as he reached over to help, carefully cutting the knot that his uncle had formed before swiftly tying it on for him. He then began to walk him through the motions of casting the rod, something Dojima fortunately took to much faster, before tying on lures and getting them started. He figured with his uncle’s temperament he may actually enjoy the sport since he tended to be taciturn, although his lack of patience may end up being his downfall.

While they set up for an afternoon of fishing, the Hanamura’s headed to Aiya’s for lunch. Yosuke, Teddie, and his mom had all coerced Mr. Hanamura to take a much deserved day off from work and they were taking him out to lunch to celebrate Father’s Day. Mr. Hanamura earlier in the day had fretted, worried about the store without him or Yosuke running things, but after getting a surprise breakfast in bed by his sons and spending the morning relaxing with his wife – something they hadn’t gotten to do in quite awhile – he finally seemed relaxed.

Aiya’s was pretty crowded with other families also having the same idea, but Mrs. Hanamura had reserved a table for them so they were able to sit right away. Lunch was a lively affair with Yosuke and Teddie up to their usual antics while Mr. Hanamura half-heartedly berated them and Mrs. Hanamura fondly watched her family. It had been awhile since they had all gone out for a meal like this, and it was nice for the four of them to spend time together. Teddie tended to mysteriously disappear sometimes, and she was happy that he had chosen to visit again for such an important day.

Once lunch was over, Yosuke pulled out the surprise gift he and Teddie had saved up for in order to give his dad for Father’s Day. “This is for you,” Yosuke said, thrusting a small bag at his father while looking embarrassed.

Mr. Hanamura seemed touched and glanced at his wife who nodded at him with a small smile. Mr. Hanamura opened the bag and pulled out a deluxe album that included a full collection of his favorite artist’s discography, along with a DVD of one of his concerts. Mr. Hanamura’s eyes widened, before he gave his sons a proud look. “You both got me this?” he asked, and Yosuke sheepishly nodded while Teddie nodded enthusiastically.

“Yosuke picked it out but I helped pay for it!” he said proudly, while Yosuke blushed.

“You do know my taste in music. Thank you both for such a thoughtful gift,” Mr. Hanamura said. He couldn’t help but find it cute how bashful his son looked. After lunch, they returned home, before Mrs. Hanamura shooed Yosuke and his father out of the house.

“Teddie and I are going to tidy up and prepare dinner,” she said. “Yosuke, you keep your father entertained.”

“How am I supposed to do that from out here?” Yosuke demanded as the door shut in his face. He let out a sigh while his father chuckled.

“Why don’t we go for a walk?” he suggested. It was a bright sunny day with white fluffy clouds that kept it from being too hot – the perfect kind of day for a walk. “It’s been a long time since we did that.”

“Yeah, it has, hasn’t it?” Yosuke realized. He pulled out his phone and played music as they walked, both of them launching into a discussion about each artist and song that popped up on his phone. He and his dad both liked a wide variety of music, both classic and present day, and they had on many occasions just sat around discussing music in his father’s study. Before they knew it, they ended up at the Samegawa River plains, and it wasn’t long before Yosuke spotted Yu and his uncle fishing at the river.

“Hey, partner!” Yosuke called, waving his arm as a bright smile crossed his face. Mr. Hanamura turned to watch as Yu turned around and spotted him, his smile warm as he spotted the second person who always managed to bring it out.

“Yosuke,” Yu called, also giving a wave. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hanamura.”

Mr. Hanamura gave a short bow before waving back at Yu and his uncle. “You want to join us?” Dojima invited, to everyone’s surprise, especially Yosuke’s.

“As much as we would love to, we’d hate to interrupt and already have plans,” Yosukse said sheepishly. “Hope you catch something cool!”

As Yosuke and his father continued on their walk, Yu let out a small chuckle. When Dojima turned to face his nephew, Yu explained, “Yosuke hates fishing. That was his polite way of trying to escape.”

“Kind of makes me want to wrangle him back here,” Dojima said, and Yu shook his head with a small smile. Dojima still intimidated Yosuke a little, but Yu knew after the events of November Dojima had grown a soft spot for his best friend. Yu smiled as he prepared to cast again, and Dojima glanced at his nephew, picking up on how much his demeanor had changed upon seeing his best friend, before training his eyes back on Yosuke and his dad. He shook his head before returning his focus to fishing.

Mr. Hanamura, meanwhile, was smiling to himself as he noted how Yosuke suddenly had a boost of energy after spotting his best friend. Mr. Hanamura had found it a little strange when Yosuke had adopted the term partner for his new friend, but both he and his wife had been happy to see Yosuke finally have a close friend who seemed like such a good influence on him. It had not escaped his notice how happy they both seemed with each other and he lightly shook his head over how dense they both seemed about it. He had half expected Yosuke to take Dojima up on his offer just to spend time with Yu, but was honestly happy he had declined; Mr. Hanamura also found fishing incredibly boring.

“Dad, are you listening?” Yosuke whined, and Mr. Hanamura blinked before shaking his head.

“Sorry, you were saying?” he asked, while Yosuke frowned at him. He gave out a huff, reminding Mr. Hanamura suddenly of when he was a child and used to do the same when throwing a temper tantrum, before grinning now that he had his father’s attention again.

“I was asking what you thought of this new song. Here, let me play it for you again.” Father’s Day continued to be a nice, relaxing time for both families, and they appreciated getting to spend it together.


	2. June 22, 2012: Sunny - Yosuke's Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 of Souyo Week 2020. Yosuke is thrown a surprise birthday party by his family and friends and gets a special gift from his partner.

Bright sunlight filtered through the room, peeking through a small gap in the curtains perfectly angled to fall directly on Yosuke’s face. Eyebrows furrowed as the bright morning light fell across his eyes, its warmth slowly waking him from his slumber. Yosuke let out a yawn, his face scrunching together before his eyes slowly fluttered awake. Yosuke was alone in his room – Teddie tended to wake up earlier than he did and liked to help out his mom with chores around the house in the morning – so he wasn’t surprised. The best part about summer vacation was Yosuke getting to sleep in after staying up late; if this were a school day he would have been up hours ago and trying his best not to nod off in class. As Yosuke sat up in his bed and attempted to wake up, he was hit with a sudden smell wafting in from downstairs. Someone appeared to be cooking breakfast.

Yosuke grinned before throwing off his covers and heading downstairs, not bothering to change out of his pjs or to comb his hair since it was just his family. “Mom, what are you making for break…” he started to say before his voice trailed off as he realized it was most definitely not his mother in the kitchen. Yosuke’s cheeks flushed as the gray eyes of his partner glanced at him, Yu giving a small smile at his attire.

“Good morning,” he greeted, before deftly sliding the omelette in his pan onto a mound of fried rice, covering it with the fluffy eggs. He then pulled out ketchup that he had placed in a bottle with a tip so he could write out the words Happy Birthday on it.

“What’s going on? Where’s my family?” Yosuke asked in confusion as he followed Yu to the table where another omurice was waiting for Yu to eat. There was also freshly squeezed orange juice waiting for them.

Yu didn’t respond, and instead fixed Yosuke with his steely gaze and secretive smile that meant he wouldn’t be telling. Yosuke sighed before sitting down and looking down at the breakfast Yu had cooked for him. A small smile spread across his face at how cute it looked with the message on it, and Yu’s eyes softened. Yosuke truly looked adorable in his bedhead and pjs, and Yu was grateful for the rare opportunity to see him that way. Yosuke finally took a bite of his birthday breakfast, his eyes lighting up with delight. “Partner, this tastes amazing,” he said with a sigh, and Yu smiled before also digging in.

After breakfast, Yosuke headed upstairs to get ready, figuring Yu would be dragging him off somewhere where he would be surrounded by his noisy friends and family, while Yu worked on cleaning up the dishes from breakfast. Once Yosuke headed back down, hair combed, face washed, and freshly dressed, Yu was ready and waiting by the door. “Going to tell me where we’re going?” Yosuke asked, and Yu shook his head, looking amused by Yosuke’s exasperation. Instead, he directed Yosuke into a conversation about a show they both watched, as he led them over to the train station that lead them to Okina. Yu could tell that Yosuke was trying his best to figure out exactly where they would be going in Okina, but Yu wasn’t dropping any hints.

When they finally got off the train and ended up in front of the movie theater, Yosuke definitely appeared confused. “What’s wrong?” Yu asked as they headed inside, bypassing the ticket counter to Yosuke’s confusion.

“I just figured…I dunno, that you had a surprise party in store for me or something,” Yosuke said. “This feels more like a…” 

Before he could finish that thought, they had both stepped into one of the theaters and were met with a loud, “Surprise!” Yosuke jumped back, gripping Yu in shock who chuckled while putting a comforting hand on his shoulder as the IT rushed down to surround their leader and his second in command.

“Happy birthday, Yosuke!” Teddie yelled, nearly tackling his brother in his excitement. Yosuke put one hand on Teddie’s head, more to calm him down than anything else, before looking up along the railing leading up to the seats to see more of their high school friends along with his parents smiling down at him.

“You guys…” Yosuke said, eyes blinking back happy tears as Teddie yanked him away from Yu’s grasp and up toward the empty theater where a seat was decorated with balloons and streamers and was obviously meant for him.

“We rented out this theater for your birthday,” Mr. Hanamura explained before handing him a movie selection list. “Pick out anything from this list and we’ll watch it together.” There was a table set out on the main floor with food and snacks for them to eat as they watched the movie.

Yosuke was forced into his seat by Teddie who ran off to get him his favorite candy and brand of soda from the table, while the rest of his friends and family gathered around him and found their seats. Yu sat to his right, looking fondly at Yosuke who seemed overwhelmed by the attention; he was certainly not used to it. Instead, he tried to hide his embarrassment by burying his face in the movie list program his father had given him.

“I haven’t seen this movie yet,” Yosuke finally said, pointing out the latest in his favorite action flick series, and his dad nodded before calling the front to get it set up. Teddie returned to sit at Yosuke’s left, handing him candy, popcorn, and his drink before insisting Yosuke share the popcorn.

Yosuke rolled his eyes before offering some to Yu as well, who graciously accepted before watching in amusement as Yosuke got swept up in conversation by all of their friends. His parents had thought renting the movie theater would be a fitting gift for their son who had seemed to enjoy dragging Yu out to the movies quite often during their second year. Soon, everyone quieted down as the lights dimmed, and their eyes were drawn to the big screen as the movie started. During the movie, Yu couldn’t help but find his eyes drawn to his best friend, finding himself tuning out the movie plot since action flicks weren’t really his thing. Yosuke looked happy to be surrounded by so many people who cared about him, and it set Yu’s heart at ease. He had his own gift for Yosuke resting in his jacket pocket so it wouldn’t get bent up, and he couldn’t help but feel some nervous anticipation over giving it to him.

Once the movie was over, they all met up at the table to light candles on Yosuke’s birthday cake before singing him happy birthday and chanting for him to make a wish. Yosuke tried to pretend to be annoyed by the attention, but Yu could tell by the serious look on his face that he actually had made a wish before making a big show of blowing out his candles. As everyone separated into smaller groups to eat their cake, Yu pulled Yosuke away to share his surprise. “I got you something,” Yu said, before pulling an envelope out of his jacket and handing it to Yosuke who looked surprised.

“You didn’t have to,” Yosuke replied. “Hell, I hadn’t gotten you anything for your birthday…”

“You didn’t know about it at the time,” Yu pointed out. “Just as I hadn’t known yours last year.”

“I guess you have a point there,” Yosuke said, before curiously opening the envelope and looking inside. His eyes widened in surprise before pulling the contents out. They were tickets to an outdoor music festival that would be held in Tokyo; Yosuke was studying hard in order to pass the entrance exams so he could get into a university in Tokyo so he could be closer to Yu and back in the city he loved. And there were two of them.

“These are really for me?” Yosuke asked, eyes boring into Yu’s as he stared at him searchingly. Yu nodded, and Yosuke felt touched. It meant Yu felt confident Yosuke would be able to make it and join him in the city. “You’re coming with me, right partner,” Yosuke asked, his smile growing on his face.

“It’s up to you who you want to take,” Yu replied, although Yosuke cut him off by slinging his arm around his shoulder.

“And who else but my partner?” he asked, giddy over the gift. He dragged Yu back to join their circle of friends, showing off his concert tickets excitedly while Yu smiled at him, eyes fond over how happy Yosuke was.


	3. May 11, 2013: Windy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu and Yosuke go to the outdoor music festival~

It had been a long time since Yosuke had gone to a concert. When he still lived in the city, he had gone to a few live shows with his friends, to the venues that hosted events that allowed underaged kids to attend. He had never been to an actual live music festival, and he honestly did not know what he wanted to do first. “Partner, are you hungry?” Yosuke asked, turning to look at Yu who was giving him a bemused look. Honestly, Yosuke was getting that more and more from him lately now that they were roommates. They had gotten in to different universities, Yu’s obviously more prestigious than his, but it didn’t bother Yosuke since both campuses were close enough together to allow them to room with each other.

“Are you?” Yu gently prodded, and Yosuke sighed loudly.

“I mean, I guess? There are also so many stages with shows going on, it’s hard to pick which one to check out first,” Yosuke said, looking done at his phone where he had pulled up the digital program. Yu’s stomach growled, and Yosuke looked up at him with a frown. “You are hungry,” he accused.

“Maybe a little,” Yu agreed. Yosuke tugged on his sleeve in order to drag him toward one of the rows of food stalls set up, offering the types of food that would typically be served at a summer fair.

“Pick out something for us to share,” Yosuke said, his face returning to his phone as he tried to pick out a stage for them to head to next.

Yu chuckled lightly before his eyes scanned the vendors and he appraised his options. He disappeared for a moment before returning with some takoyaki and dango for them to share. “Open wide,” Yu demanded, and Yosuke looked up, opening his mouth to ask why as Yu popped one of the dango skewers into his mouth.

Yosuke’s eyes narrowed at Yu as his best friend smiled victoriously at capturing his attention. Yosuke pulled the first piece of dango off of the skewer before chewing it, savoring the sweet and salty sauce covering the chewy mochi. “I think I want to go to this stage – the next band that’s set to play is one I listen to. It’ll be cool to hear them live,” he said.

“Sounds like a plan,” Yu replied, before using his chopsticks to break open one of the takoyaki in order for it to cool. He lightly blew on it to cool it down faster before picking up half of it and offering it to Yosuke. Yosuke looked exasperated but accepted the offering anyway, leaning forward to pull it from Yu’s chopsticks before his eyes lit up at the flavor.

“Those are really good,” he said, as Yu took a bite of the other half. He chewed thoughtfully before nodding in agreement. They chatted with one another as they finished up their snacks, before Yosuke grabbed them both something to drink to keep cool as they headed out to the stage he had picked out. The festival was crowded, and it was hot outside. Fortunately, there was a pretty strong wind going that day that was helping them keep cool in spite of the sun beating down on them. It was causing their hair to be blown about, however, and Yosuke could only imagine what a mess his was going to be later; Yu’s at least tended to fall back in place pretty easily since it was so fine.

They managed to squeeze their way through the crowd, finding themselves a spot close enough to stage to hear them clearly but far enough away to not get deafened by the drums. Yosuke had not heard the current band playing before but they seemed pretty good, and he glanced back down at the digital program in order to catch their name to refer to later. 

As Yosuke got lost in the music and the energy of the crowd, he began to become aware of something that had been happening more and more lately. Yu, who was standing quite close to him due to the crowd, kept brushing against his arm. Yosuke surreptitiously looked down and sure enough, he noticed that Yu’s hand was drifting closer and closer to his own before pulling away last moment. Yosuke glanced back up at Yu whose eyes were trained on the performance, although he could tell that the faint flush of his cheeks was not just due to the heat.

Lately, whenever they went walking together or were packed in on a train, Yosuke had noticed the way they often brushed against each other. It always left a searing mark that faded into a tingling sensation, and it left Yosuke curious as to what would happen if they didn’t pull away for a change. His eyes glanced down at Yu’s hand, which had drifted back towards his again, and Yosuke in a burst of courage made a split-second decision. He reached for Yu’s hand and grasped it firmly, quickly looking back at the concert as Yu turned to look at him, obviously startled. Yosuke pretended not to notice, although his flushed cheeks clearly gave him away, and he noticed out of the corner of his eyes as a smile crossed on Yu’s face before he squeezed Yosuke’s hand and turned his attention back to the concert.

They remained hand in hand for the remainder of the festival, and they even continued to hold hands as they made their way back to their apartment, only stopping temporarily so Yosuke could grab them more drinks in order for them to cool off. He was talking animatedly about the concert, finally pulling his hand away so he could pull out his wallet and count the change he needed for their drinks, and as he turned away from the vending machine with both drinks in hand he was surprised by how close Yu was standing to him.

Yosuke moved to hand him his drink, but Yu instead moved his hand to brush back Yosuke’s hair, carefully moving it out of his eyes and fixing his windswept locks so they looked a bit closer to normal. Then, with one hand still resting against Yosuke’s face, Yu leaned forward, eyes sliding closed as he aimed for Yosuke’s lips. Yosuke met him halfway, pressing his lips eagerly against Yu’s before slinging his arm around his neck, thoughtlessly pressing one of the cold drinks against his back and causing Yu to jerk away in surprise. “Ah, sorry!” Yosuke said, looking sheepish as Yu let out a laugh. 

“I think that was partially my fault too,” Yu confessed, since he had picked the timing. He pulled the drinks out of Yosuke’s hand and set them down on the ground next to them before leaning forward again, lightly pressing Yosuke against the vending machine. “Where were we?” he asked teasingly, and it was Yosuke’s turn to reach up, running his fingers through Yu’s silky hair before pulling his partner’s face closer to his.

“Here,” Yosuke said, capturing Yu’s lips with his own for another slow, exploratory kiss. Yu’s eyes closed again and he leaned closer to Yosuke, not minding how hot it was or the fact Yosuke was slowly turning his brain to mush. After weeks of accidental touches and unspoken attraction after they had moved in together, he was finally getting to touch Yosuke, to cling to him as he wished. Yu wasn’t letting go of this opportunity for the world.


	4. May 18, 2013: Rainy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu and Yosuke's date is ruined by the weather.

Yosuke glared out the small window to their apartment, the bottom of the window fogged from the humidity outside as droplets of rain ran down the window pane, cutting through the condensation and leaving little rivulets where he could see the gray skies and heavy rain showers that had thwarted his afternoon plans with his partner. Suddenly, Yosuke’s melancholy was interrupted as Yu leaned over him, resting his head on his shoulder as he also looked out the window. “See anything interesting?” he asked, lightly teasing him with his deadpan tone since Yosuke had been standing there for at least 15 minutes already.

“Just the plans we had for our first date washing away,” Yosuke replied, before shrugging Yu off his shoulder and turning to face him. Yu was still standing incredibly close, and his gray eyes studied Yosuke’s face for a moment.

“Our second date,” he corrected, and Yosuke let out a huff.

“I told you, the concert doesn’t count because we technically weren’t together yet,” he replied.

“Maybe not at the start…” Yu began, eyes trailing to Yosuke’s lips. Yosuke blushed before poking Yu in the chest.

“Regardless of what date this is, aren’t you also sad that our plans were ruined?” he asked. Yosuke appeared unsettled and he was obviously overthinking things as he tended to do, so Yu decided he would help ease Yosuke’s mind a little bit. He took Yosuke’s hand and tugged in order to get his attention before bringing him to the couch and motioning for him to sit down while pulling a throw blanket from the back of the couch to wrap around them both as he sat next to him.

“While I would have enjoyed going out with you,” Yu started slowly, “I enjoy spending time with you, regardless of the location.”

“Yeah, but…” Yosuke started to reply, and Yu shook his head before a determined glint light up his eyes.

“Besides, there are so many things we can do here instead,” Yu said straightforwardly while Yosuke gave him a curious look.

“Like what?” he asked, obviously starting to get intrigued over where things were going. Yu leaned forward and put his lips next to Yosuke’s ear, feeling Yosuke’s pulse quicken from them being pressed against each other due to the blanket.

“For starters, we can continue to cuddle on the couch,” Yu said, purposefully keeping his voice low and appreciating the effect it seemed to be having on his partner who shivered at the sound. “We can watch a show or a movie together. We can play a videogame. We can cook dinner or order takeout…”

“Most of those things we already do,” Yosuke replied, although his voice had taken on a breathy quality that Yu found fascinating.

“We don’t have to stop at cuddling,” Yu replied suggestively, wrapping his arms around Yosuke’s torso before pressing his lips against Yosuke’s neck and trailing slow, languid kisses along his neck and collarbone. Yosuke clutched at Yu’s shirt in surprise, and Yu felt satisfied by Yosuke’s short, excited gasps as he continued his trail of kisses along his partner’s flushed skin. Yu then pulled away, noting the look of disappointment that crossed Yosuke’s face. “But I can understand if you’re still upset about not getting to go outside,” he started, and Yosuke let out an annoyed huff before cradling Yu’s face in his hands.

“You made your point,” he said quickly. “Now can we go back to not stopping at cuddling?”

Yu grinned before leaning forward, capturing Yosuke’s eager lips as they clung to each other, the pitter patter of rain on the windowsill and the sound of their intermingling breath the soundtrack to their first (or second) date.


	5. February 2, 2014: Snowy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yu and Yosuke have an adventurous morning in the snow~

Yu was usually the first to wake up in the morning after years of having to get up early to make his breakfast and pack his lunch if he hadn’t the night before. Today was no exception. Yu woke up around 6am which was the norm and blinked a few times, debating on whether or not he wanted to remain burrowed under the covers with Yosuke pressed against his back, one arm draped protectively over his stomach, or to get up and get started on breakfast. Staying under the covers was tempting, both because he quite enjoyed cuddling with his partner and because it was winter and cold outside.

Unfortunately, now that he was awake, he was aware of the fact he had too much water before bed last night and he really needed to get up to use the restroom. Yu frowned before rolling over to get a good look at his partner before getting up. Yosuke, with his tousled hair and serene expression, looked charming in a different way than he usually did awake. Awake Yosuke was energetic and vivacious, while asleep his face looked soft and peaceful. It was always soothing to Yu, and he allowed himself to quietly watch his boyfriend for a few moments before he could no longer hold it in and he finally, unwillingly, got out of bed, clenching his jaw at the cold air outside of the warm covers. He hurried to the bathroom and after relieving himself he headed toward the kitchen to heat up some water for tea.

As he got started with his day, starting a tea kettle while also starting a pot of coffee for Yosuke, he tried to figure out what he would make for breakfast that morning. It was Saturday which meant neither of them had classes so Yu usually made something special. Yosuke had work in the evening but had the morning free while Yu had the day off and would be focusing on housework and working on college assignments. Yu’s eyes drifted toward the small window located above their kitchen sink, and his eyes suddenly widened. Outside of the window, everything was covered in snow. Apparently, last night it had snowed pretty heavily, for it was a few inches deep and looked like it would probably stick for the day. All the other snow they had experienced thus far this winter had pretty much melted soon after falling.

Yu hurried back into the bedroom, throwing open the curtains to let the morning light in from sun which was just starting to rise and to show a view of the snow. “Is that really necessary?” Yosuke grumbled from the bed, the light waking him up.

“Yosuke, look outside!” Yu said excitedly. Yosuke sat up, rubbing blearily at his eyes, while wondering at Yu’s rare excited demeanor. Even when he was excited, he rarely showed it quite like he was at the moment.

“At what?” he asked, peering past Yu out the window. Just then, the tea kettle began to whistle, and Yu hurried out of the room to shut off the stove and pour himself a glass of tea. Yosuke, meanwhile, realized why Yu was in such a cheery mood. “Whoah, I don’t think I’ve seen this much snow since leaving Inaba!” he said excitedly. Their first winter in Tokyo had been pretty mild, and this winter so far had been pretty much the same. Until today.

Yosuke leapt out of bed, before regretting it due to how cold it was before climbing back under the covers. He then wrapped their comforter around himself before heading into the kitchen, his hair tousled from sleep as he yawned. He usually would have slept in for at least another hour, but he didn’t mind waking up early due to his partner wanting to share snow with him. Yu appeared amused by him bringing their blanket into the kitchen with him, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he handed Yosuke a cup of coffee, prepared just as he liked it with some cream and sugar, before joining him at the kitchen table.

“Do you want to go out and enjoy it this morning before you have to go to work?” Yu asked.

“Is that even a question?” Yosuke retorted, grinning at him over his coffee cup. Yu grinned back as he sipped his tea. 

“I was thinking we can grab breakfast on the way,” he said thoughtfully.

“Fine by me!” Yosuke replied. There was a bakery near their apartment where they would often stop for bagels or pastries, and after getting dressed they made that their first stop for the day along with more tea and coffee for the road. They then headed to the closest park to their apartment which was still pretty empty due to how early in the morning it was.

“What should we do first?” Yosuke asked, eyes bright with excitement as they looked at the pristine park. They would be the first ones to step foot inside since the snowfall last night which meant the snow was perfectly piled up and the possibilities were endless. “Should we build…” he started to recommend, until he was suddenly smacked in the face with an icy, powdery snowball.

“You ass!” he shouted, as Yu snickered and dashed into the park. Yosuke scooped up a snowball of his own before chasing after him. Fortunately, Yosuke was still faster than Yu, so he managed to get close enough to pelt a snowball at Yu’s back, hitting his mark before he scooped up another one and began to run away before Yu had a chance to retaliate. They ended up at it for at least twenty minutes, laughing and shouting as they chased each other around, until they finally grew winded and collapsed in the snow to cool off.

“This feel familiar?” Yosuke asked, referring to the last time they had battled in the snow, albeit with their fists, and Yu nodded.

“Less cuts and bruises this time though,” he replied.

“I dunno about less bruises…” Yosuke grumbled. “You can throw pretty hard, y’know.”

“Did I really bruise you?” Yu asked, eyes looking concerned as he turned to look at Yosuke, eyes roaming him as if he would be able to tell through Yosuke’s winter jacket.

“I _am_ feeling pretty sore,” Yosuke said, closing his eyes and trying to look pitiful. Yu rolled over until he was facing Yosuke and leaned over him.

“Do I need to kiss them to make them better?” he asked seriously, and Yosuke peeked an eye open at him.

“Hmmmm…maybe?” he replied. Before Yu could make his move, however, they were interrupted by the shouts of some kids who had finally gotten up for the day and made their way to the park to also enjoy the snow. Both Yu and Yosuke exchanged looks before Yu rolled away and stood up, offering his hand to Yosuke before also helping him up. They both brushed the snow from their clothes before laughing at how ridiculous they both looked.

“Let’s build that snowman,” Yosuke suggested. They enlisted the help of the kids and soon had quite a sizeable snowman built up that the kids decorated with twigs and pinecones from the park. Yosuke took a picture of their creation, and they thanked the kids for helping them before deciding it was time to grab something hot for lunch before returning to their apartment to take a shower and get into some drier clothes.

They decided to stop for some oden from a food cart that set up near the park, both of them picking out different ingredients to add to their broth. Yu got an egg, daikon, and deep fried tofu, while Yosuke got the fishcakes, egg, seaweed, and mochi in his. They both enjoyed the rich, sweet broth and how well their chosen ingredients absorbed the flavor and warmed them up for their walk back home.

“There really is nothing better than some oden on a winter’s day, huh partner?” Yosuke asked before taking a bite of mochi and closing his eyes as he enjoyed the chewy texture and the sweet flavor.

Yu took a bite of the tofu which just seemed to absorb the broth. “Better because it includes your company,” he replied simply, and Yosuke shook his head.

“If only people knew how sentimental you are,” he teased. Yu offered him a piece of daikon, and Yosuke took a bite, no longer shy about letting Yu feed him. “Mmmmm, maybe I should have gotten some daikon too,” he commented. “Here, try a bite of this mochi!”

Yu took a bite and Yosuke could tell by the way his eyes lit up that he also enjoyed it. Then he tried to offer Yosuke a bite of the fried tofu, and his partner immediately declined before giving Yu a sour look. Yu grinned at him before eating it himself. “It’s a shame you don’t like tofu, Yosuke. This is delicious,” he said.

“Maybe for you, but I’m not getting tricked into eating something I won’t like,” Yosuke replied. In no time they were home and after shedding their jackets they wrapped up finishing their oden in the kitchen, huddled next to each other as they drank the broth, allowing it to warm their chill bodies as they enjoyed the rich flavor now that the broth had absorbed some more flavor from their ingredients that had been soaking in it. “That was so satisfying,” Yosuke said with a pleased sigh. “Man, I really wish I didn’t have to go into work…”

Yu leaned forward to kiss Yosuke’s cheek since he missed is opportunity in the park. “I’ll reward you by kissing all of those “bruises” later,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. Yosuke definitely perked up at the idea.

“Well, you should, since you’re the one who caused it,” he said cheekily. He then pulled Yu into the bathroom so they could share a shower before Yosuke headed into work and Yu got started on his chores. They had both thoroughly enjoyed their morning adventure, and hoped there would be more opportunities to play together in the snow.


	6. April 20, 2014: Stormy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yosuke and Teddie dash through a thunderstorm in order to visit Nanako and Yu for an afternoon of playing board games.

“Yosuke, I know you want to see sensei, but my nose is picking up a storm and I think it’s a beary bad idea to be leaving now,” Teddie whined.

“Just who was it that was overly eager to leave to see Yu?” Yosuke replied, irritated with his brother. Teddie had spent the last hour complaining that Yosuke always got to keep Yu all to himself and that he never got to see him since they never came to visit, which had prompted the decision to head over to Yu’s to meet up. Never mind that they had been home for New Years and come home every Golden Week and summer since going to college. Also, it wasn’t like Yosuke was missing his boyfriend after being apart for only a day or anything. 

It didn’t help that Yosuke could also smell the oncoming rain and that distinct smell of ozone that indicated there would definitely be lightning with the storm. If Yosuke was being honest with himself, his real source of irritability was even now lightning made him nervous due to his weakness to it in the Shadow World. And in spite of Teddie’s words, they were halfway to the Dojima’s at this point so there really wasn’t any point in turning back.

Just then, there was a distant rumble of thunder to spur them on, and Yosuke and Teddie began to pick up their pace. Teddie was clinging to Yosuke’s arm while Yosuke tried his best to put up a brave front for the terrified bear. “We should be there in no time, Ted,” Yosuke said, ruffling Teddie’s hair as he dragged him forward. Unfortunately, his confident words were soon undermined by the sound of rain that was getting steadily closer. Yosuke internally cursed as he realized they were heading straight toward a downpour. 

‘Yu better be glad I’m in love with him,’ Yosuke thought, as he and Teddie hurried straight into one of the rain bands of the storm, immediately getting drenched in the process. There was another flash of lightning that they were able to hear as it crashed down nearby, with the loud thunder booming too quickly afterward for Yosuke’s taste, and he quickly broke into a run as Teddie yelped in surprise over how loud it was.

“We’re almost there,” Yosuke said, gasping a little for breath since he wasn’t as used to running as he had been in his second year. Teddie continued to tightly grip his arm, although he managed to keep up with Yosuke’s pace well enough. Just as there was another flash of lightning, resulting in a loud crash of thunder, Yosuke spotted the familiar Dojima household up ahead. Relief flooded him as they made a final mad dash to the house, Yosuke throwing the door open instead of knocking like he usually would. Fortunately for him, it was unlocked since Yu had been expecting company. Yosuke pulled Teddie inside and shut the door behind him, while they both tried to catch their breaths as they stood dripping wet next to the door.

“Yosuke?” Yu asked in surprise as he stepped down from the stairs. “I’m surprised you came in this weather. I figured you would wait for it to settle down or catch a ride with your father when he got off work.”

“Sensei!” Teddie said excitedly, moving forward to give him a hug until Yosuke grabbed his shoulder to stop him.

“Ted, you’re soaking wet. Do you want to get Yu wet too?” he asked in exasperation. Teddie shook his head while looking down in shame, leading Yu to let out a chuckle.

“I don’t mind,” Yu said, before pulling Yosuke into a hug.

“Gah, partner!” Yosuke whined, while Teddie giggled at his expense before throwing his arms around them both.

“I always knew you’d score with sensei,” he said with a sigh, before pulling away. Yosuke flushed with embarrassment, which he did every time regardless of how many times Teddie had said it since he had found out about their relationship, but before he could retaliate, he noticed Nanako watching them from the living room. She had grown up a little since he had last been by to visit but was still as cute as she had been their second year.

Yosuke pulled reluctantly away from Yu who he could tell was pouting although his face remained stoic as always. “Hey Nanako-chan,” he greeted.

“Yosuke-nii!” Nanako greeted. “Teddie-kun! I have not seen you in awhile.” She beamed at them, and both Teddie and Yosuke felt their heart melt. Yosuke had been worried at first that Nanako may feel like he was taking away her big brother, but she had seemed genuinely happy once she understood that they were together. She had confessed to Yosuke that her cousin always seemed happier when he was around. “You both should probably dry off before we play our board game so you don’t get sick…” Nanako frowned at them, and Teddie looked like he was close to tears. Yosuke had to admit, there was something a little troubling about upsetting Nanako.

“She’s got a point. Ted, you should go take a shower first,” Yosuke said. Yu disappeared to go and grab them both towels and a change of clothes, and Yosuke pushed Teddie upstairs and into the bathroom first before he could protest. Although Teddie wasn’t his biological brother, Yosuke couldn’t help but feel protective of him, and he really didn’t want the dumb bear to get sick. Yu, meanwhile, took an extra towel and tossed it on Yosuke’s head, who sputtered at him as Yu began to towel off his damp hair.

“What are you doing?” Yosuke asked in annoyance.

“Don’t want you getting sick either,” Yu said, and Yosuke couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat over his boyfriend’s protective tone. There was another peal of thunder, one close enough to shake the house a little, and Yosuke felt himself instinctively lean closer to Yu.

“Don’t take too long – we don’t want to keep Nanako waiting!” Yosuke called.

Yu seemed to finish with the towel and dropped it around Yosuke’s shoulders, settling to wrap his arms around Yosuke instead. “Miss me much?” Yosuke teased, smiling when he felt Yu nod against his shoulder. “Liar – I’m sure you forgot all about me the moment you saw Nanako-chan’s smiling face.”

“I would never,” Yu said straightforwardly, and Yosuke suddenly felt the urge to hold him back. Before he got the opportunity, however, the water stopped in the bathroom. It appeared Teddie had either listened for a change, or he was just too excited to see Yu and Nanako that he didn’t want to take his normal long shower.

When he opened the door, he admittedly looked cute in Yu’s t-shirt and sweatpants that were too long on him. “Yosuke’s turn!” he said, taking far too much pleasure in pulling Yosuke away and shoving him into the bathroom this time. Yosuke could hear him drag Yu down the stairs afterwards so they could help Nanako set up the board game they would be playing that evening. “Don’t take too long!” Teddie yelled back at him through the door, and Yosuke let out a grin as Teddie threw his words back at him.

Yosuke took a quick shower and dried off before changing into Yu’s clothes – the long sleeved shirt and sweats that Yu often slept in. They were slightly large on him, although not comically so like Teddie, and surprisingly soft. The best part was they smelled like Yu, and Yosuke couldn’t help but lift up the shirt to bury his nose in it for a moment. Even though he was a bit anxious due to the storm, Yu’s smell helped him calm down, and he felt himself relax as he gathered up his and Teddie’s clothes so he could hang them up to dry while turning on the fan to help reduce the moisture quicker. 

He then headed downstairs before smiling as he noted Yu, Nanako, and Teddie as they sat around the coffee table which had the board game set up along with some snacks and drinks. They were watching the news as they waited, and looked like a little family. ‘Cute,’ Yosuke couldn’t help but think as he moved to sit down in the spot across from Nanako. He noticed Yu’s gaze on him and when he turned to look, Yu looked away with a slight blush on his cheeks. Yosuke blinked in confusion for a moment, before he realized what the stare was probably for.

“I fit your clothes pretty well, eh, partner?” he asked, and Yu continued to carefully look away while Yosuke beamed at him. He got his answer by Yu’s hand making its way to his lap so Yosuke could grasp it. Yosuke did so gladly, squeezing slightly to show he meant no harm with his light teasing. Yu smiled at him before returning his attention to the game. He began explaining the rules to Teddie who hadn’t played before, and the blond listened intently. Teddie got pretty competitive when it came to games and he liked to win – he could be a pretty sore loser. He seemed to have a natural luck when it came to board games, although in video games Yosuke usually crushed him.

They had an enjoyable afternoon playing Machi Koro as the storm raged outside. The thunder still made Yosuke a little jumpy, but he noticed that Yu was clinging to him more than usual which comforted him and helped calm him down. He didn’t know if it was because Yu had missed him or was trying to cheat, but he didn’t complain as his boyfriend uncharacteristically leaned against his shoulder or continued to hold his hand. However, if Yu was trying to cheat, it didn’t help him much since he was the first to have to fold as Teddie yet again took the victory in the end. “You have such beginner’s luck,” Yosuke complained as Teddie beamed at him.

“You two wait here, Nanako-chan and I are going to cook you dinner,” Teddie said, excitedly pulling Nanako into the kitchen so they could make them a simple dinner of fried rice.

“Are you sure they’ll be ok in there?” Yu asked, looking over at them worriedly, and Yosuke let out a snicker.

“Don’t worry, Mom’s been teaching Ted how to cook. And you know he wouldn’t do anything that would put Nanako-chan in danger,” Yosuke said. “What’s been with you this afternoon anyway?”

“What do you mean?” Yu asked, returning his attention to him.

“You’ve been all touchy feely. Don’t get me wrong, I like it, but it’s not like you,” Yosuke pointed out. Usually he was the one who was more needy, although Yu never seemed to mind it.

Yu was quiet for a moment as he considered his words. “I know you don’t really like thunderstorms,” he finally said, straight to the point. “I didn’t want you to feel scared.”

Yosuke flushed in surprise. “You knew?” he whispered, and Yu nodded. He then scooted closer to Yosuke before tugging at his sleeve.

“This looks really good on you,” he said, gray eyes boring into Yosuke’s.

“It’s really comfortable. Maybe I’ll have to start stealing them when we’re home,” he said jokingly.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Yu replied, and Yosuke smacked him on the shoulder.

“Maybe we should help Ted and Nanako-chan,” he said, while Yu let out a chuckle.

“I think they want to do it on their own,” he replied. “They missed us, you know.”

“I know. I missed them too. I…I missed you too, partner,” Yosuke said. “Even if it was only a day and a half…” He was used to getting to see Yu every day, so not seeing his partner was strange.

“I missed you as well,” Yu replied. He then pulled Yosuke against his chest, and even though it wasn’t necessary anymore since the storm had died down and was just reduced to rain, Yosuke found he didn’t mind it. He pressed a kiss into the palm of Yu’s hand before leaning back, enjoying his company as they watched their siblings work on cooking them a meal. 

‘We really do feel like a family,’ Yosuke thought with a fond smile.


	7. March 22, 2014: Foggy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the final day of Souyo Week Yosuke goes for a jog in the fog and reminisces over his relationship with Yu.

Yosuke tightened his shoelaces as he mentally prepared himself for the run ahead. He had started getting into the habit of getting up early to run once he and Yu had returned to Tokyo after Golden Week; Yosuke hadn’t liked how out of breath he had gotten during his dash through the storm with Teddie and had decided to do something about it. Nevermind the fact he hated getting up early and was now waking up before his boyfriend. Yosuke let out a yawn before sliding on his headphones, an upgrade from the ones he wore in high school, and thumbing through the playlists on his phone until he got to the one he used for jogging. He then stepped outside into a wall of fog.

Yosuke blinked in surprise and found himself reaching for his pocket where he used to keep the glasses Teddie had made for him, until he remembered those had been tossed in a drawer somewhere and did nothing to help him see in real fog. Yosuke let out a sigh before stepping outside and shutting the door behind him, before heading downstairs to the parking lot where he did a few warm up stretches before his usual jog to the park. It was surreal, seeing Tokyo blanketed by fog, since it didn’t happen too terribly often. It brought him back to his second year of high school and all the memories, good and bad, that came with it. Yosuke grimaced as he finished up his stretches and started his jog. He would jog to the park, then get a good run in at the pathway that circled the park, before jogging or walking back to the apartment depending on how tired he was.

Although the fog wasn’t as heavy as what they experienced in Inaba, it still weighed down on Yosuke, constricting his breathing a little while he berated himself. ‘This isn’t the same fog,’ he thought as he pressed forward, knowing that there would be no apathy syndrome and negativity brewing like there had been back home, especially toward the end of the year when the fog got really bad. Through the bonds of the Investigation Team, and the bonds that Yu had forged with the different townspeople in Inaba, they had managed to survive and stop Izanami from tying the Shadow World to their own, freeing the town from the fog and the TV world’s influence. Thinking back to his friends and how forming those bonds had gradually made Inaba a better place to live allowed Yosuke’s chest to relax and his breathing to return to normal. Now, while he couldn’t see too far ahead, the misty fog wasn’t so bad even if it was a bit muggy that morning.

As Yosuke made his way to the park and picked up his pace, breaking out into a run as his feet found the familiar path, he thought back to his struggles second year. It had been hard, not being liked, being the kid everyone thought was annoying when all he had wanted to do was fit in. Yosuke hadn’t really liked himself too much, even though he tried his best to hide it behind his thoughtless comments and fake smile, both tools used to protect himself from the criticism of his peers. He hadn’t really liked himself, that is, until he became Yu’s partner. Yu had seen something in him, something the rest of the Investigation Team gradually seemed to see as well, and Yosuke had taken pride in the fact that Yu relied on him and trusted his judgement. It was like Yu was able to get him to see the good qualities in himself, and that in turn caused Yosuke to want to do better so he wouldn’t let his partner down.

Yu had been there when Yosuke had faced his shadow, had learned to “see” himself and grow as a result, which was probably the moment Yosuke had started to strive to be better, to be Yu’s equal. That had led to Yosuke coining the term partner, which had obviously evolved in meaning as their relationship evolved over time. ‘Just when did I realize I wanted it to have the meaning it does now?” Yosuke pondered as he started his third lap around the park. He was in surprisingly good condition this morning; usually he’d still be pretty groggy and tired, but it was like the fog had jolted him awake when he had stepped outside. He may be able to squeeze an extra lap in that morning, which got him pretty excited; he hadn’t been able to break the 6 lap barrier yet.

If Yosuke were to hazard a guess, Yu would probably point to their punching match or the day Yosuke took him to the overlook and explained how much their relationship meant to him as the moment things changed. While he was probably right in a sense, Yosuke was well aware of how dense he had been about his own feelings at that time and knew he had still been oblivious to just how much he was in love with his best friend. Yosuke’s eyes narrowed in thought as he tried to pinpoint the exact moment. It seemed like his feelings for Yu had just evolved naturally. By the time he had held Yu’s hand at the concert and Yu had leaned in for their first kiss on the way home, the concept had been welcome to him and had seemed like a natural first step. Yosuke couldn’t remember a moment in time truly standing out too much; it was more being around Yu felt right and when things progressed he just went with the flow. If anything, it may have been Yu leaving and having their closeness disrupted that changed things up; not having Yu around made him aware of how much he missed it and when they had reunited in Tokyo Yosuke had been a bit clingy the first few weeks although Yu hadn’t seemed to mind.

Just thinking of Yu warmed Yosuke’s heart, and once he victoriously finished running his sixth lap, Yosuke slowed to a jog as he headed back to their apartment, suddenly eager to see his boyfriend. Once he arrived, he kicked off his shoes and set his phone and headphones on the table before heading to the kitchen, drawn in by the smell of Yu cooking bacon and eggs for their breakfast. Yu was wearing his pjs and an apron, and Yosuke couldn’t help but think he looked charming with his lightly tousled bed hair. Yosuke snuck up behind him before pressing a kiss to Yu’s cheek and wrapping his arms around his waist.

“You’re energetic this morning,” Yu said, feeding Yosuke a fresh, crisp piece of bacon. Yosuke chewed it eagerly while sighing in pleasure over how good it tasted.

“It’s foggy out this morning,” he said, feeling Yu still against him. “Got me thinking about things…”

“What sort of things?” Yu asked as he finished up the eggs and got ready to plate them and the bacon; he already had plates ready with toast for them both.

“Mainly about you,” Yosuke replied. “Hey, when did you first, uh…” he trailed off.

“First what?” Yu asked, pulling away from Yosuke so he could bring their food to the table. Yosuke pouted at the loss of contact with his partner, but his growling stomach reminded him that it was for the best.

“First realized, you know, how you felt about me,” Yosuke said, mumbling the last part. Yu appeared to have understood regardless, and he looked at Yosuke thoughtfully as they sat down to eat. Yosuke had a cup of steaming coffee waiting at his usual seat while Yu had obviously been sipping on hot tea.

“I knew how I felt about you the moment you wanted to start the Investigation Team,” Yu said after pondering for a moment. “I realized then how special you were and was grateful that you trusted me and wanted me as part of your team.”

Yosuke looked baffled by his words. “What, really?” he asked, and Yu nodded.

“I wouldn’t say I realized I knew I was in love – that sort of grew naturally on its own. But it is the first time I wanted to get close to someone,” Yu replied. “How about you?”

He looked curious, and Yosuke let out a sigh. “I was trying to figure that out,” he admitted. “It just seemed to happen. I do think you leaving made it more apparent to me, although I think I felt that way much earlier and just didn’t realize it.”

“I think I know,” Yu said thoughtfully. Yosuke looked up at him as he took a sip of coffee. 

“Oh?” he asked, expecting to hear one of the two moments he had thought of earlier.

“The school festival when we were speed dating and you looked like…” Yu dead panned, and Yosuke leaned forward to slap his hand over Yu’s mouth while blushing furiously.

“That is not a moment I want to remember,” he said, while Yu’s eyes twinkled in amusement. “I thought you were being serious…”

When he pulled his hand away, Yu replied, “I did feel a bit hopeful over how embarrassed you were, actually.” Yosuke pouted at him, and Yu grinned. His face then sobered. “Do you remember the day I went to confront Adachi-san and you were waiting for me outside the TV?” he asked.

Yosuke’s face fell and he nodded. He had been so furious with Yu, so hurt that he had gone on his own and hadn’t trusted him enough to talk to him about it. “At that moment, I had been scared,” Yu confessed. “I had never really had someone disappointed in me before – it hurt worse than anything else in my life, other than when I thought I had lost Nanako.” 

Yosuke blinked in surprise at Yu’s confession. “I was afraid that it would weaken our bond, that things wouldn’t be the same, but even though you had been so angry…” Yu let out a breath. “You stuck by me. You continued to support me. I realized that you had been so angry because you cared so much, and because you cared so much you didn’t let it come between us. Once I understood that I knew,” Yu said simply. “I knew you didn’t know, but I knew.”

Yosuke didn’t know what to say to that. “Huh,” he finally said, leaning back in his chair. Yu’s words made sense. Other people may have gotten mad and drifted apart after a moment like that, but Yosuke had instead clung to Yu even more tightly. He wanted Yu to rely on him and wanted to support him and prove that he didn’t need to take on things on his own anymore. “I can see it,” he admitted. Yu reached forward and took Yosuke’s hand before giving it a squeeze.

“I knew at that moment I would always have you in my life,” he said honestly, gray eyes searching Yosuke’s face. Yosuke brought Yu’s hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss on his knuckles between holding it between both of his own.

“You wouldn’t be able to get rid of me even if you tried, partner,” he said, with a lopsided grin. Yu’s eyes crinkled into a smile, and he leaned forward to press a kiss onto Yosuke’s forehead.

“Like I would ever want to,” he said. “Now go take a shower – you’re sweaty.” Yu picked up their plates to wash at the sink, and Yosuke stuck his tongue out at him before whistling as he headed to the bathroom. When Yu heard the sound of the water starting, he shook his head before sitting down the first dish he had been rinsing off in the sink. He had not expected such a conversation so early in the morning, but he felt like it was a testament to how much their relationship had grown over the years. He looked out the window in the kitchen at the foggy morning and felt touched that instead of Yosuke’s mind getting stuck on those dark times, he had instead thought of him – of their relationship – and the origins of when their meaning of partners had changed. He thought back on all the times Yosuke had supported him their second year, between acting as his second in command on the Investigation Team to being his emotional support, something he had never had before. He was completely unsurprised he had fallen for Yosuke, who had shown him unconditional affection almost from the beginning. Yu returned to washing the dishes, while playing back all of their moments second year, good and bad. He remembered how hard it had been to leave Inaba, to leave his partner and his friends and family, but how he had also known that somehow he and Yosuke would come together again. The thought had gotten him through that tough third year apart, even prior to knowing that Yosuke was going to study hard in order to join him in Tokyo. Yu smiled as he dried the dishes and put them away, just as the water turned off in the bathroom, indicating Yosuke was done with his shower.

When his boyfriend stepped out of the bathroom, toweling off his hair and wearing Yu’s sweats and long sleeved shirt which had become his normal house lounging clothes, Yu couldn’t help but allow his eyes to roam over him in appreciation. “Hey, partner?” he called, catching Yosuke’s attention.

“Yeah?” he asked, before letting out a surprise yelp as Yu scooped him up into his arms. “What the hell?” he demanded as Yu strode toward their bedroom. Yu tossed Yosuke’s towel onto the floor before settling him on the bed. “I thought we were going to be working on chores today?” Yosuke asked, lifting an eyebrow at him and looking completely befuddled at Yu’s behavior.

“That can wait,” Yu insisted, before pulling Yosuke against his chest and burying his face against his damp hair. He loved the smell of their shampoo on Yosuke.

“That tickles,” Yosuke complained, although he had a fond tone in his voice. He also shifted until he fit more comfortably in Yu’s arms. At night, Yosuke tended to be the one holding Yu, so this was a nice change of pace.

“I love you, Yosuke,” Yu murmured against Yosuke’s hair, and the brunet turned his head, while reaching his arm around to cup Yu’s face.

“I love you too,” he said, before leaning in for a warm, gentle kiss. He then twisted around so he faced Yu, before snuggling his head under his chin and on his shoulder, tangling their legs together so they’d be comfortable. “I guess we can stay like this for a little bit, at least.”

Yu pulled Yosuke tighter and slid his eyes closed, concentrating on the sound of Yosuke’s heartbeat as it slowly synched with his own. He was glad that in the end Yosuke had returned his feelings and they had naturally come together, and he looked forward to their future together and the continued evolution of their relationship. Yosuke began running his fingers through the back of Yu’s hair with one hand while the other rested against his chest, and Yu wondered if Yosuke was feeling his heartbeat too. They enjoyed a peaceful morning resting in each other’s arms, sharing stories of the various moments in their relationship where they had been attracted to each other and reminiscing about old times. They truly were fortunate to be with their partner.


End file.
